U of M study: Female managers more likely to be harassed

A University of Minnesota study of sexual harassment shows that female supervisors are more likely to be harassed than women with no supervisory duties.

More than half of the female supervisors who responded to the survey reported having been sexually harassed on the job. But only 30% of women with no supervisory duties reported harassment.

Lead investigator Heather McLaughlin told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, “Male co-workers, clients and supervisors seem to be using harassment as an equalizer against women in power.” McLaughlin, a professor of sociology, teamed with fellow Minnesota professor Christopher Uggen and University of Maine professor Amy Blackstone in performing the study.

They also found that workers who were perceived to be “nonheterosexual” were nearly twice as likely to be harassed in the workplace.

Note: Knowing where harassment is likely to occur gives employers an opportunity to tailor training to head off possible incidents.